It's Times Like These
by beingwitchbaby
Summary: The children of our heroes battle against each other only to realize that a new power called The Shades could destroy two among them and that they must unite to beat the power of the one that could destroy them all.
1. Seventh Year

_For Damon._****

**Chapter One**

Noelle Granger knew better than to underestimate her mother about anything. Hermione Granger was the perfect epitome of a successful businesswoman and a wonderful mother. Noelle understood how hard this was for her mother: Hermione was a single mother with a prominent career in both Muggle and Magical worlds. She had a teenage daughter to support and frequent out-of-country meetings with publishers.

So today as Noelle stood impatiently at the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten, she thought kindly of her parent as Hermione swung into view, a vision in a smart pantsuit. Muggles would think of her as a businesswoman if not for the swinging owl cage in her hand. "Elle," Hermione breathed, approaching her daughter, "darling, here!" She held out the cage toward Noelle. The handsome occupant of the cage screeched happily. "You almost forgot him and he was losing his wits trying to find you. I'm never good with birds!" Delicious was the name of the owl in the cage.

"Oh…uh…sorry, Mum," Noelle said, setting the cage down on her trunk.

"Well, let's get on with it," Hermione said, prodding Noelle gently towards the barrier. Casually, they both stared at the clock, pretending to be very interested in the time. Noelle mimicked her mother and they both slid through the very solid brick wall. This action always thrilled Noelle. She loved the fluid motion the barrier gave her when she slid right through it. It was like sitting in a warm soft chair before she stepped out.

The scarlet Hogwarts Express was sitting idly while students meandered around. Noelle's eyes narrowed in search for her two best friends, James Potter and Ian Weasley. She didn't catch any hint of flaming red hair. She was disappointed. They had planned to leave together but the plan had gone awry when Hermione had been called at the last minute to Los Angeles. It was at times like these when Noelle resented her mother very much. She hated to think of James and Ian partying it up in the back of a Ministry car while she was already here, searching for an empty compartment.

In the midst of all of this, someone was calling out Noelle's name. "Noelle!" It was a distinctly male voice. "Noelle!" There stood in front of her a tall, gangly boy who was breathing heavily and trying to smile at her. "Are you Noelle Granger?"

"That's me," Noelle said.

"You're the new Head Girl, right?" the boy asked. Noelle looked in puzzlement at her mother.

"No, I'm not," she replied.

"Oh," the boy said, looking disappointed. She didn't recognize him but she knew his face. She watched as he joined his friends, one of them thumping his arm and saying, "Good job, mate! You talked to her!"

Hermione laughed. "Of course," she said. "My daughter, Lolita."

Noelle rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right," she said. "What a terrible actor."

"Quite impressive, I thought," Hermione said as she pushed her daughter's trolley

"He's a dick."

"I agree."

They found a very empty compartment. Noelle heaved her trunk into the compartment and slid it underneath a seat. Then she stepped out to see a family of flaming red hair talking to her mother. "Ian!" Noelle exclaimed, hugging the very tall and brown Ian Weasley. Ian hugged her back. Years ago, Noelle had been taller than Ian but then Ian had become taller and now she was standing on the step of the train to hug him.

"Ron," Noelle said, nodding at Ian's father. Hermione was looking disapprovingly at Ron.

"The train leaves in ten minutes and you're here _now?_" Hermione was saying. "This is your daughter's first year at school. I think she deserves a good goodbye."

"Hey, it's not my fault," Ron said. "Someone called at the last minute to say they had to run to L.A."

"You're blaming me?" Hermione was incredulous.

Ian and Noelle shared a look, both rolling their eyes. This was the typical first-day-of-school routine when Hermione and Ron would argue about nothing and then they would make up and bid their children farewell.

"And where, may I ask, is Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Harry is at work, dear friend," Ron said. "My sister is bringing her children to the train today so you needn't worry. They'll be here soon."

"That's not soon enough," Hermione said, glancing at her watch. They continued to bicker for a long while until there was a tap on Hermione's shoulder. Hermione whirled around, incensed with anger, and was surprised to see Ginny standing there with her son and daughter.

"Finally!" Hermione said. "Finally you're here! The train leaves in—" She checked her watch. "—three minutes."

Ginny smiled serenely. "Hermione, darling, don't worry," she said. "I am here, my children are here, everything is _fine_."

"Ah, well," Hermione said. "Hurry and get your trunks in the compartment."

"Elle," James said, nodding formally. "How _have_ you been?"

"Stupid, you just saw me three days ago," she said.

James put on a simpering pained expression on his face. "Darling Noelle, don't you know what could happen in three days? We could have lost you forever."

"Yeah, because I exerted myself packing for school."

"You know, Elle, you are not very sensitive."

"Shut up," she said, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her ear to his collarbone. He placed his hands on her back and laughed into her hair.

"Excited for our last year here?" he asked. She pulled away and nodded, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Elle," Hermione said, reaching for her daughter, "darling, come say goodbye." Noelle moved towards her mother. "Be good," Hermione said. "As good as you've always been. Do well, study hard and have fun, sweet." She hugged her daughter hard, whispering in her ear, "Send my love." Then she placed a kiss on Noelle's forehead and nudged her towards the train. "Goodbye, darling!" Noelle climbed on the train, Ian and James behind her. She waved at her mother and the three of them entered the compartment.

They found something they didn't expect.

"Malfoy," James hissed, sneering. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"It's a public train, Potter," Tristan Malfoy said, grinning. "No need to get upset."

"Get out," Ian commanded to Malfoy and his two friends, Daniel Lombardo and Aidan Hannigan.

"Touchy," Tristan commented. "Can't we just be friends?"

Noelle could tell that James was running short of calm. "Malfoy," she said, "could you please just leave?"

"Don't beg him, Elle," James told her. "We'll just beat his ass and then drag him and his cronies out."

"Do you really think you are that tough, Potter?" Malfoy said, standing up. He was taller than James by about two inches. "Or is it that Potter in your blood that makes you so valiant to save your darling's live? The Muggle blood, you know, is very impulsive and rather—" He coughed. "—stupid."

"Let's talk about your blood, Malfoy," Noelle said loudly. "Is it true that your grandparents were cousins? Isn't that a little awkward? I hear it creates birth defects." She smirked. "Or is it just that your Malfoy line of jackasses carries on to you as well?"

Malfoy bowed his head, taking this blow to his family line surprisingly well. Noelle didn't care. "Get the hell out," she hissed. "Now."

"Right-o, boss," he said. He left, Lombardo and Hannigan trailing behind him.

"He's such an asshole," Noelle said when they had left. "God, how can his parents stand him?"

"His father's Draco Malfoy, Elle," Ian said. "Who cares how they can stand him?"

The train started and Noelle stared out the window at the other side of the platform. It was deserted. "What are you thinking?" James asked, leaning in close and talking to her softly.

"My mother doesn't have enough time to take care of me and still do her book stuff," Noelle said honestly the first time. She couldn't lie to James and it's not like she would in the first place.

James sighed. "She loves you."

"I know." They were silent until the door slid open and James's younger sister, Molly, walked in, followed by Ian's younger sister, Violet.

"Get out," Ian said immediately.

"Really, Ian, that's so immature," Molly said. "Can we join you? Malfoy is laying waste to the rest of the train."

"Sure," Noelle said, gesturing towards the empty seat. Violet and Molly sat down, smiling. "So, Vi, are you excited?"

"I'm dying," Violet replied. "I just want to get there. I wonder what house I'll be in."

"That's an easy one," James said. "You'll be in Gryffindor, of course. Your entire family is."

"That's so stupid," Violet replied. "Not everyone in the same family is the same. I hate that."

"You know she's right," Noelle said. "It doesn't make any sense to put people of the same family in the same house.

"It makes it easier for the family," Ian said. "That way the younger ones can follow the older ones."

"Did you say that Malfoy was terrorizing the rest of the train?" James asked. Molly nodded.

"That is precisely what I said."

"What's he doing, exactly?"

"Coming into compartments and being himself. He wouldn't mess with us, for some reason," Molly said. "I suspect it has something to do with you, huh, big brother?"

James shrugged. "He unsuccessfully tried to terrorize us. Thankfully, we have Elle, who at least has half a brain in her head."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, Elle," James said, smiling. She shrugged.

"I don't care." She continued to stare out the window until the woman came around with the carts. They all chipped in money and James bought sandwiches.

"Tuna salad for Molly, as always," James said, handing them out. "Pastrami and cream cheese on bagels for the one and only Noelle. And plain old turkey for the rest of us." They ate in a weird silence that was broken only by the obnoxious noises outside the compartment of Tristan Malfoy and his cronies running up and down the corridors, teasing young children.

"I really think we should do something about him," Ian said with a mouthful of turkey.

"God, Ian, you're so gross," Noelle said, wiping off her knee where he had sprayed her with his mouth's contents.

"Oops." He swallowed. "Sorry."

"It's fine," she replied, throwing the napkin away in the bin.

"Do what, Ian?" Violet asked. "Scare him with your dangerous physique?" They spent the rest of the train ride mocking Ian and laughing at ridiculous ways to scare Malfoy."

Noelle checked her watch. "I think we should change," she said. "It's almost dinnertime, anyway. That means we're nearly there."

"Right," James said, reaching into his trunk and pulling out his school robes. He and Ian left in search of a changing room. Uneasily, Noelle pulled the curtains on the windows closed and opened her trunk and pulling out her neatly folded uniform and robes. She hated the Hogwarts school uniform but the school insisted she wear it so she did. She slid off her jeans and pulled the skirt up over her legs.

Violet and Molly were changing as well.

"How do you make sure no one just barges in here?" Violet asked.

"I'm not sure," Molly replied. "I've never felt a need to do it but maybe we should."

"It's no problem," Noelle replied. "The doors are enchanted. They have ears so they know when to lock and unlock." She buttoned up her shirt over her bra, then pulled the ugly sweater vest on. Slowly, they got dressed. Soon, James was knocking on the door.

"All clear?" he said.

"Fine," Molly said after looking over one last time.

"Well, ladies," Ian said, striding in. "We should be there in three minutes so I suggest we clear things up in here."

They spent the next few moments gathering up trash from the floor and putting it in the bin as well. The train coasted to a stop and the announcement came on telling first year students to leave their trunks on the train. Violet squirmed happily. Then they were allowed to file out and they did.

The school crowd was loud and pushy. Noelle was immediately separated from James and Ian. She was shunted forward by the crowd and shoved in a carriage. "Dammit!" she hissed as she found herself sitting directly across from Tristan Malfoy.

"Nice train ride, sweetheart?" he asked, grinning.

"_Don't_ call me sweetheart," she ordered. "Don't even talk to me."

"Why not, sweetheart?"

"Do you value your balls?"

"Just a little."

"Oh really?" She raised her eyebrows at him. He smirked at her.

"Alright, Granger," he said. "I value my testicles a lot."

"Then shut up before I shove them up into your body, alright?" She smiled sweetly. She hated being alone in this godforsaken carriage with him. It struck her as strange that there weren't any other people in there with them. It was only Tristan and Noelle.

"So _aggressive_," Malfoy said. "Is that your mother's temper? Or your father's?" He smiled evilly then. "Oh, I _forgot_. You don't know your father."

Noelle felt the color rise in your face. "Your relationship with _your_ father is twice as pathetic, Daddy's Little Boy," she said sharply. "'Daddy, I want a party. I want a pony.'" She mimicked him, a malicious smile on her face.

"Darling," Tristan said, gritting his teeth, "you don't know the relationship I have with my father."

"Bullshit," she said. "I see you in Diagon Alley all the time. Your father can't stand to be around you."

"At least I wasn't a _mistake,"_ Tristan said. "My father didn't run off after I was born."

"_You_ don't know who my father is, either," Noelle said.

"Don't I?" he said and the carriage came to a stop. Noelle was seething. She wanted to slap him. "You, Granger, are the unfortunate product of a very unfortunate love affair." She raised her hand to slap him but he grabbed her wrist and leaned in towards her. "This is not a good time to rile me or slap me, madam. I warn you that if you do, there will be serious consequences."

"Let go of me, dick," she said, trying to jerk her arm out of his grasp, "or there will be penalties beyond your limited imagination." He released her and leaped out of the carriage. Noelle followed him but soon found James and Ian.

"We thought we had lost you," Ian said. "Did my sister get off the train alright?"

"Fine," Noelle said. "She was with Molly last I saw."

They nodded and walked up the stairs and into the Great Hall. Noelle looked around happily, the ceiling sparkling with stars. Dumbledore stood up after the Sorting to make a few speeches.

"Quidditch tryouts will be held next week," he said in an old man voice. "And let me remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is exactly that—_forbidden_. Let's eat now, shall we?" The platters filled with food and Noelle ate a bit, still full from her sandwich. Ian and James made conversation with other Gryffindor boys and Noelle sat quietly detached from the Gryffindor girls. It wasn't that she didn't like them; it was that they were jealous of her and she knew it. She knew that because her best friends were boys and cute boys at that, that Silver, Elisabeth, Hannah and Amethyst were extremely resentful of Noelle, although they never said it to her face. At times Noelle wished that she could talk to them when they huddled in a little circle on winter nights to play card games and gossip.

The best female friend she had was Megan Zelara, a Ravenclaw. A punk activist at heart, Megan and Noelle also made up the feminist sector of Hogwarts School. Megan's hair was wildly colored in shades of pink, green, blue, violet and red. Her natural hair color was blonde but she hated being a blonde and so she became a terrifying-looking—but sweet—teenager. Noelle had seen her a few times over the summer. Today, Megan's hair was short and very very black, like shoe polish. Noelle waved maniacally at Megan and Megan waved just as maniacally back. Noelle knew that Ian held a secret crush for Megan.

Then dinner was over and they headed in opposite directions. Noelle and Megan pouted across the Great Hall, then turned away to get to their dormitories. The prefects led them to the portrait of the Fat Lady where the rest of the Gryffindors discovered the new password: "blue bead bracelet." They entered. The Common Room was warm and cozy but there was no fire lit because of the hot weather outside. Instead, there was a mysterious light coming from an unknown source. Noelle felt a jab in her arm. She turned to see a grinning James.

"Home at last, yeah?" he said.

"Absolutely," Noelle replied. Then she kissed his cheek and headed up the stairs with the seventh year girls. Silver and Amethyst, more commonly known as Amy, were giggling. Noelle rolled her eyes and followed them into their dorm. The trunks were already there.

"Ooooh, look," Amy said, opening one of five doors on the far side of the dormitory. "We get our own bathrooms! And look! Personal towels and everything!"

"Thank God we don't have to use those horrific public showers," Hannah said, opening the door with her name written on it.

"Ah, see?" Silver was saying. "I told you seventh year would be the best."

"I think fifth year was my best," Elisabeth said, laughing.

"Only because you lost your virginity, skank," Hannah teased.

"No," Elisabeth corrected, "because I lost my virginity to a _gorgeous man_."

Noelle snorted. "Some man," she said. "Tristan Malfoy has a dick for a head."

"Oh, shut up, Noelle," Silver said, throwing a pair of satin pajamas on her bed. "You know you want his body."

"To mangle," Noelle said with a grin.

"I don't care what you say," Silver replied tartly. "I know you want him underneath everything you say. Face it, Noelle. The boy is delicious."

"Lick him, then," Hannah teased.

"Oh yes, how _would_ you go about that?" Amy said.

"'Malfoy, may I lick your chest please?" Hannah mimicked Silver's prim and proper accent.

"Shut it!" Silver said. "Elisabeth would know. You dated him for a while."

"I never licked him," Elisabeth said, blushing, "…on his chest." They all burst into laughter. Noelle groaned.

"Can we please stop discussing this?"

"_Noelle_," Hannah said. "Darling, we know you are above your hormones but the rest of us can't help ourselves. We're slaves to our bodies."

"That's a good thing to be," Noelle said sarcastically. "Really, it's just self-control."

"You'd make a fine nun," Silver said, slipping off her pants and pulling her pajamas on.

"I take that as a compliment." Then Noelle crawled into bed and wrenched the hangings around her so that she was enveloped in darkness.

Author's Note: All of you reading this know all the real characters and my invented characters. I credit JK Rowling with the invention of her original characters from the _Harry Potter_ series. Every book, author or musician mentioned in this fiction is real. I do not own them, either. There is one obscure pairing in here that I'm a HUGE fan of. This fanfiction is rated R for sexual content later on and language, perhaps some other thematic elements. Also, I haven't completely developed the plot out yet so please be patient if there are long breaks where I don't post anything. I want to thank JK Rowling for inventing the wonderful world of Hogwarts and Fallon for reading and reviewing chapters.

Fae


	2. Weird

**Chapter Two**

Noelle reunited with Megan at breakfast.

"Ahhh, it's so good to see you!" Noelle said, hugging Megan. "Your hair looks great!"

"Thank you, love," Megan said, pulling away. "How was the train ride?"

"Fine," Noelle said. "I didn't see you."

"My mum brought me," she said. "We were in Paris, remember?"

"Of course," Noelle said.

"C'mon, Elle," James said, tugging Noelle's arm for her to come and join them at the breakfast table.

"Ugh, hang on!" Noelle said, turning back to Megan. "How's your dad?" Megan's father was very ill.

"They transferred him to St. Mungo's," Megan said, her voice strong and not faltering. He had been sick for so long that Megan had gotten extremely used to talking about it. "He's in care there."

"Oh," Noelle said, not knowing what else to say. She gave Megan another quick hug and let herself get dragged away by James.

"Course schedules," Ian said, handing Noelle hers. She looked over it with a critical eye, smiling at the fact that she had almost all advanced classes because of her O.W.L scores. She felt like her mother.

"Let's see it, then," James said, reaching for her schedule. She let him compare as she ate toast and drank hot tea. His face started to fall. "We don't have _any_ classes together!" he said.

"What?" Noelle said, taking the schedules and laying them out before her. He was right. James and Ian had nearly all of their classes together but Noelle was in Advanced and she was put into classes with the other Advanced students.

"I thought we'd all be having classes together!" James said. "This is our last year here!"

"Jamie," Noelle said soothingly. "Don't worry about it. C'mon, it's not like we're in different Houses or anything. It's just classes."

"Elle, this is weird," he said. "Why'd they change it all of a sudden?"

"It's always been like that," Ian interrupted. "The seventh-years will pretty much get separated all over."

"I didn't know that," James said in a whiney voice.

"You sound like a cranky little kid," Noelle said. "It's _fine_." The bell rang. She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Look, it'll be fine!" He shrugged.

"I have Defense right now, so I'll see you guys at break, okay?" She walked away, joining Megan in the Entrance Hall.

"Schedule?" Megan said. Noelle handed her the piece of parchment. "Look at this, we have every class together," Megan said. "That's a little strange."

"James wasn't very happy about it," Noelle said. "We don't have _any_ classes together."

"That's because he has a _humongous _crush on you," Megan teased as they mounted the stairs.

"Ugh, that's a disgusting thought," Noelle said. "He's practically my brother."

"_Practically_ being the key word, m'dear," Megan said. "You're not blood related and perfectly compatible."

"We fight."

"Sometimes."

Noelle shrugged. "It's just weird." Megan nodded.

"I can understand that." They laughed about it and went into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

Professor Hall was a dynamite little blonde woman with a tenacious personality and a passion for her subject. The only reason that Noelle had even _passed_ Defense last school year was because of Professor Hall and her unusual teaching techniques. Noelle and Megan adored her. "Good morning, Professor," they said as they entered the classroom.

"Ah, my two favorite girls!" she said. "You will find a seating chart on my desk. Please take your assigned seat and take out your textbooks. I think we will find them of little use but the Ministry insists I use them and so I do."

"Seating chart?" Megan muttered. Noelle shrugged.

Megan was pleased with where sat, right by the windows. Noelle however, was extremely displeased at where she sat: directly in front of Tristan Malfoy.

"Good morning, Granger," he said as she sat down.

"No snide comments today, Malfoy?" she said. "Or have you stopped staging them in front of the mirror now?"

"You amuse me, Granger," he said. "Yours are the ones that sound rehearsed."

"I don't spend half the time in the front of the mirror that you do," she said, opening her bag and getting out her book. "The tales of the boys' loos are true."

"How'd you manage to make your way into this class?" he asked snidely.

"I didn't _buy_ myself in to make myself _seem_ even remotely intelligent, if that's what you mean. No, Malfoy, my placement in this class came from something very foreign to you: hard work."

"Ahem!" The class had begun. "Good morning, class!" Professor Hall called. There were a few muttered greetings. "Since today is the first day when all of you are completely mixed up and confused, let's start with introductions. My name is Professor Elizabeth Hall. This is my third year teaching at Hogwarts School. Your placement in the Advanced Defense class was determined by your O.W.L scores and your enthusiasm for learning. Since we are not in our Houses anymore, there will be stricter guidelines for you to abide by." Then she launched into a speech describing her teaching methods, her classroom rules, the curriculum and her policies regarding homework.

"Interesting, right?" Malfoy's mouth was right up by Noelle's ear.

"Absolutely," Noelle replied.

"I always knew you were strange, Granger."

"Thank you."

He leaned back in his chair and stared at the back of her head. She had longish black hair that was pulled up into a French braid. He could see her bra strap through the white material of her school shirt. Smirking, he realized that the bra was black. His gaze drifted to her hands. One of them was cupping her chin. The other was impatiently tapping her pen on the desk. That was another thing that puzzled him about her: she never used parchment and quills, considering them to be silly and old-fashioned. In the strangest of ways, she was quite a Muggle but she was headstrong and determined. He realized that she would make one hell of a Death Eater.

Tristan Malfoy himself was not a Death Eater but he knew that's what awaited him later in his life. He didn't fully understand what his father did within the Dark Lord's revival circles. Ever since Harry Potter had defeated the Dark Lord, Draco Malfoy and the rest had been trying to discover a way to revive the dead. The Death Eater lifestyle didn't appeal to Tristan, but he understood that that was his destiny. He was lost in thought when the bell rang. Noelle shoved her textbook in her bag while Professor Hall yelled, "Read chapter one and come ready with a summary! One paragraph!" The class hurried out.

Noelle caught up with Megan and sighed. "I have the worst seating arrangement _ever_," she said. "I'm sitting in front of Malfoy, Dark Prince of Asshole Town."

"Oh, Elle," Megan said. "I think _he_ has a crush on you as well."

"Oh, shut up," Noelle said. They giggled and headed off to their next class.

Potions was Noelle's strong subject and she did well with it even when Professor Snape sneered over her cauldron. She knew, however, that no matter how hard he tried to hate her, he couldn't because she was the only student to participate in his classes.

"Good morning," he said quietly, "even though we can't tell in this miserable shit hole." Megan laughed. "Is there something funny, Miss Zelara?"

Megan nodded. "Yes, sir," she said, smiling. "You said 'shit hole.'"

"Does it amuse you?"

"Am I laughing?"

"Are you amused by this class?"

"I'm amused by the fact that you even let me in your Advanced class."

"Your O.W.L scores were exceptional," Professor Snape said. "But I'm sure everyone here knows that. That is the reason you are here. Advanced Potions is dangerous and a difficult subject to master. However, I have no doubt in my mind that such a _gifted_ class such as you can handle it. Yes, even you, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thanks, Professor."

"Don't thank me, thank your father, ungrateful boy," Snape said. "And your mother. They gave you the genetics and they sent you to school."

"And they paid for him to get into this class," piped a tall girl from the back. Noelle knew her name was Tera Something-Or-Other.

"That was very intelligent comment, Miss Harold," Snape said. "However, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy did _not_ pay for their son to be in my Advanced class. Believe or not, class, Mr. Tristan Malfoy is quite bright." Tera blushed.

"You know all about me so I won't bore you with the silly introductions the rest of my colleagues waste their time with," he said. "This class is not something to be taken lightly. I will not handle any messing around when we are working. If you are behaving like a retarded wretch, I will send you out and you shall never return. That _will_ go on your transcript so don't conduct yourself in a dim-witted manner and I see no need to send you to see our headmaster. The potions we will be making will be extremely advanced. Keep in mind that you are jumping from a Level F to a Level K. There will be several long-term Potions that will require your attention at times when you will not be attending this class. Also, there will be a special project that we will find out about next class."

They were silent, seated at tables lined up in the dungeon classroom. "Since today is a first day, please get out a writing utensil and something to write on. Your textbook, _Moste__ Potente Potions_, will be of great help in this class so treat it well." For the rest of the class, they took furious notes while Snape strode in front of them, making corrections as he lectured.

"You do not have any homework," Snape said. "However, next time I expect a more scholarly type of attitude from all of you. Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy," Snape called as the bell rang, "please stay after class. I must speak with both of you."

Noelle looked puzzled. She glanced back at Malfoy, who looked pleased, as always. He pushed back his hair from his face, his emerald Malfoy signet ring glittering her eyes. He winked at her. She gave him the finger and slowly began to gather her things, tucking them into her bag. As soon as everyone had left, Snape said, "The two of you, come up here." They slowly approached his desk. He was writing something on a piece of parchment. They waited until he was finished. He pushed the paper and quill aside and looked up at them. "I understand that Malfoys and Grangers are not meant to get along because of the long-time grudge held between your two parents," Snape began. "However, you two have been selected because of your unnaturally high O.W.L scores. The judges that stood over your Potion's O.W.L wrote down that you showed extraordinary confidence and resilience in your Potion-making skills. Keep in mind that I did not select you for this, Headmaster Dumbledore did." He glanced up at the two of them. "You are dismissed."

"Excuse me, sir," Malfoy said. "Selected for what?"

"To help me teach this class," Snape replied.

"What?" Noelle was gaping.

"You will still do the Potions but you will do them ahead of time. Professor Dumbledore and I have arranged for you to come down here every night and prepare the draughts prior to coming to the class. Then, you will show the class what you have done and they, like the mindless idiots they are, will mimic you. Understand?" Snape turned back to his parchment and they couldn't get another word out of him.

"Hey, Granger, wait up!" Malfoy yelled as Noelle dashed up the stairs. She was almost all the way up the spiraling staircase when she saw something in the courtyard that made her laugh. Leaning out of a window, Noelle saw that Ian was flirting outrageously with Megan and Megan was flirting right back. She grinned, leaning farther out, wondering if she could hear what they were saying. Then she felt a hand on the small of her back and she nearly pitched out the window until the disembodied hand grabbed her around the waist and spun her around. She hit her head on the top of window.

"Ow!" she said, her hand immediately flying to brace her head.

"Ah, shit, are you alright?" he asked, ducking his head to look at her face. Her eyes were closed in pain and she wasn't saying anything.

"I probably have a concussion now," she said after a moment.

"Nah, you didn't hit it that hard."

"My head's going to explode," she moaned, opening her eyes.

"Not at all," Malfoy said. "Madam Pomfrey can fix that in an instant."

"Well, she's not here right now, is she?" Noelle said angrily.

She suddenly realized how close he was to her, his right hand on her hip, his left hand cupping her elbow and their faces terribly close. She thought he might kiss her and try as she might she couldn't push him away because in her secret heart she was enjoying this.

"Elle?" She turned her head to look and saw James standing about five stairs above her and Malfoy.

"James!" she said, pulling out of Malfoy's grasp.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Nothing," Noelle said, taking his hand and leading him upstairs into daylight. "Nothing at all."

"What did Malfoy say?" James persisted.

"Nothing!" Noelle hissed, releasing James's hand and walking beside him. "I was watching Megan and Ian talk and I nearly fell out the window until he grabbed me and then I hit my head and he was just making sure I was okay."

"Why would he do that?" James asked. "He's a snake."

"Jamie, there's more to people that what they let on," she informed him, walking out and into the courtyard.

"Finally!" Ian said. "Good afternoon, Noelle. Been enjoying these first few hours of your Advanced classes?"

"You don't have to sound so condescending," Noelle snapped.

"What?"

"You guys always make it out so that I'm always singled out," she said. "Can't you just be happy for me for once?"

"Elle, we are happy for you," James said.

"No, you're not," Noelle spit out these words to him. "This morning you were making such a big deal about not having the same classes, boo hoo. I _know_ that you were wishing that I wasn't in those Advanced classes."

"How do you know I wasn't wishing that _I_ was _in_ those classes?" James asked.

"Because, James, you don't like to do any extra work," Noelle nearly yelled. A group of Slytherins, including Malfoy, glanced over at her.

"That was mean, Elle," Ian said.

"Shut up," she said. "Just shut up. I'm so sick of this shit. Now I know how my mother felt when your fathers acted like this." She broke away from them and was racing out of the courtyard.

"Elle!" she heard James call.

"Fuck you!" she yelled and raced back up the stairs and into the castle. She was nearly crying. Her headache was back and so she raced up the stairs and burst into the Hospital Wing. "Madam Pomfrey!" she called.

The harried-looking nurse came running out. "Oh, my, what's the problem here?" she asked.

"I have a killer headache," she said. "And I feel nauseous."

"Miss Granger, take a seat while I come back with your remedy." Noelle took a seat in a large, puffy chair. Moments later, Madam Pomfrey came with a violent violet bottle. Noelle watched as a violet powder came out of the bottle into a short Scotch glass of water.

"Here, drink this," said the nurse, handing Noelle the now purple liquid. Noelle drank it all in one gulp. Then she pulled the glass away from her mouth and burped. "How pleasant," Madam Pomfrey said. "Feel any better?"

Noelle did but she didn't want to go back to join James and Ian because they would ask questions about her outburst and then she'd have to reply that she really did mean all those things she said. "Can I stay here for a while?" she asked Madam Pomfrey. The nurse cast a critical eye over Noelle.

"No, Miss Granger, I'm afraid you'll have to get back to class," she said. "But here…I'll write you a pass." Noelle sighed as Madam Pomfrey dipped her quill in ink and scribbled out a pass for Noelle to get back to class with.

Noelle went into the Transfiguration classroom where Megan and Tristan Malfoy cast her weird looks. She sat in the very back of the classroom and took quick precise notes like she'd been doing all day.

Then she ate lunch. Instead of sitting in the Great Hall to eat lunch, she grabbed a turkey sandwich and a pumpkin juice box and sat on the stairs in the Entrance Hall. James came out five minutes later and Noelle knew that she should have gone outside, even though it was pouring rain out there.

"Elle?" he said softly, sitting down next to her. "What happened today?"

"I'm tired of you guys treating me like some freakshow smart girl," she said, her voice even. She didn't want to portray any emotion because it would betray her and then James would think she needed saving, even when she didn't. "I'm sorry I'm in all those classes but it's like…I can't help it."

"Don't be sorry," James said. "We are assholes. Sometimes."

"Often."

"Rarely."

"A lot."

"Ooookay!" They both grinned as she finished her sandwich. "So, how were classes this morning?"

"Tiring," she said. "Professor Hall has a seating chart and she put me directly in front of Ferret Child. And then in Potions we have this weird project to do and I'm paired with Malfoy and we're the only two and now I'm angry because all these teachers know that I hate Malfoy and yet they make it a point of forcing one-on-one time with each other."

"Maybe they hope to get rid of you both, hoping that you'll finish each other off by next month," James teased.

"You're funny," she said sarcastically.

"I knew I was." The ten minute bell rang. James glanced at his watch. "Ten minutes left for lunch. You could go back in there and talk to Ian. He's kind of upset."

"Ummm, you tell him I said sorry," Elle replied. "I just want to hang out here for a while."

"Sure," James said, getting up. "I'll see you later?"

"Hopefully," she said, tilting her head upwards so that James gave a quick kiss on the forehead and went back into the Great Hall. Noelle finished her sandwich in silence, then slurped the last of her pumpkin juice and threw her trash away in a bin, using her wand to Magically levitate the garbage to the can. It dropped perfectly and she put her wand back into her robe pocket, hating the first day of school.

The rest of the day passed by in a slow blur. Noelle took notes and insulted Malfoy and giggled with Megan but never really understood any of it until she got back into the Common Room. It was half full and so she climbed up the girls' dormitories and threw her bag on the ground, throwing herself on the bed and pulling a pillow over her face. She groaned into the pillow.

"Oh, darling, what's the problem?" Silver asked.

"I'm sick of Malfoy," Noelle said, yanking the pillow off of her face. "Did you know he's in every single one of my classes? And _don't_ go on about how lucky I am. I don't feel lucky; I feel like shit."

"Maybe a bit of dinner will help?" Silver said.

"I want mashed potatoes," Noelle whined, yearning for comfort foods. "And macaroni and cheese and broccoli."

"Yuck," Silver said. "All carbs."

"Carbs are healthy for the body, Silver," Noelle said, reaching into her bedside table drawer and taking out a hairbrush. "If you eat them they give you energy and so you burn them off."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"My mother," Noelle said, thanking Hermione for her vast array of knowledge on nearly everything.

"Interesting," Silver said, changing into regular clothes. "I'm not much into exercising."

"Too bad," Noelle said, dropping the hairbrush onto her bed and walking to her dresser, wondering what clothes she'd find. She finally found a pair of soft, worn jeans and a bright yellow shirt that had 'PUMA' written on it in bright red letters. She pulled these on, then glanced out the window. "Why the hell is it raining so much?" she asked Silver. "It's like April."

"The weather hates us," Silver said. "Ready to eat all those wonderful carbs?"

"Absolutely."

They walked down together to the Great Hall. Noelle was impressed by how smart Silver really was. Noelle's impression of Silver had been Queen of the Airheads but she was surprised to discover that Silver really did have depth. They discussed Muggle musical bands for a while until they reached the Great Hall. Then Silver and Noelle parted and Silver sat with the other girls while Noelle searched for James and Ian. They were nowhere to be found.

"Miss Granger?" Noelle turned around. Professor McGonagall was standing directly in front of her. "Misters Potter and Weasley are in the locker rooms with the rest of the Quidditch teams."

"_Teams?_" Noelle asked.

"Every House team is having a meeting," McGonagall told her. "I suggest you hurry out there."

"But…dinner…" She looked longingly at the food. She grabbed a small bowl and dropped a dollop of mashed potatoes in there, then took a fork and ran to the locker room, getting only slightly wet as she entered breathlessly.

"Look who decided to join us," came the voice of Tristan Malfoy. "Hello, Granger."

"Well, if it isn't Ferret himself," she said, sliding into a seat next to James. "Alright, Malfoy, you may continue drawling."

"If you don't respect this meeting—"

"What? Going to have your bouncers take care of me?" she asked.

"Just shut up, both of you," said Natalie Wood, Seeker and Captain for Ravenclaw. "Malfoy was explaining the practice schedule to all of us."

"Right," Malfoy said, sneering at Noelle. "Before I was interrupted. The schedule will be written up here." He waved his hand to a clean white board behind him. "It's the responsibility of the team captains; Potter, Riviera, Wood and myself; to look at this schedule daily to see when their team has practice and what times. No team gets practice twice a day. If the weather is bad, the practice can be rescheduled but that's the responsibility of the Team Captain."

"One question, Malfoy," said a tall lanky boy Noelle knew as Josef Riviera, Captain and Keeper of the Hufflepuff Team. "How do you reschedule?"

"You talk to Madam Hooch," Tristan said, "who is the organizer for Quidditch this year. She can reschedule it."

"Who writes out the schedule?" Natalie asked.

"That's what the Captains will discuss once the other players are gone."

"Shouldn't the whole team discuss it?" A short cute girl from Hufflepuff named Anna Hubris.

"Don't you trust your captain?" They all fell silent. Then Tristan cleared his throat and said, "Now we'll read out the rosters to see about tryouts. In alphabetical order so Gryffindor goes first."

James stood up, holding a sheet of parchment in his hand. "The Gryffindor team lineup is as follows: Leandra Able, Chaser; Terrence Ashwood, Beater; Noelle Granger, Chaser; Henry Newton, Keeper; James Potter, Seeker; Ian Weasley, Beater. We have one vacancy: Chaser." Noelle saw Malfoy nod and write something down on his clipboard.

Then Josef Riviera stood up. Noelle was strangely aware of how much she paid attention in Quidditch but hardly enough attention in History of Magic. "The Hufflepuff Quidditch team lineup is as follows: Gabrielle Ashe, Seeker; Anna Hubris, Chaser; Gordon LeToyant, Beater; Josef Riviera, Keeper. We have three vacancies: two Chaser positions and one Beater position." Once again, Malfoy nodded and wrote it down on his clipboard.

Then the Ravenclaw captain read out her list. They only had two vacancies for a Chaser and a Keeper. "Looks like we're short Chasers this year, half-pint," James whispered to Noelle.

"Aren't you glad you've got me?" she asked, smiling.

"Slytherin lineup is: Natalia Ceracione, Chaser; Thomas Light, Beater; Tristan Malfoy, Seeker; Gretchen Odem, Chaser; Kyle Quistine, Chaser; Ariel Zabini, Beater. We need a Keeper."

"Fine," James said. "Now can we schedule tryouts?"

"As soon as everyone else leave," Natalie Wood said.

"Wait," Gabrielle Ashe said. "We'll be attending tryouts, right?"

"Absolutely," Malfoy said. "Now…can the Captains get down to business?" Grumbling, the others left. Ian followed Noelle out.

"This is so stupid," Ian said. "We can't do shit."

"Scheduling practices and tryouts are so boring," Noelle said. "Let's go and play Gobstones or something."

"I've got a ton of homework," Ian said.

"I finished all mine during my other classes," Noelle said. "Maybe I'll go to the library or something."

"Read boring books and listen to forbidden music?" Ian asked, chuckling as they climbed up the stairs in the Entrance Hall.

"Definitely," Noelle said. "I will not stop listening to music just because they want to bore us out of our minds."

"And what's the music choice for today?" Ian asked as they headed for the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I think today is a Mogwai day," Elle replied, grinning.

"The Scottish noisemakers?"

"You know it."

"You have terribly taste in music."

"At least I have _taste _in music," she replied.

"You've got a point there," he said.

"Darling, I've always got a point when you're concerned."

"Thanks, Elle."

"No problem, Ian," she said, climbing up the girls' stairs to get her book and CD player. When she came down, Ian was doing his homework at a corner table. "See you later," she said, waving at him. He smiled and waved back. She left, stuffing the book and CD player in the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt.

She reached the library and found her secluded corner where she could read in peace. With her wand she made a large bean bag chair appear that she seated herself comfortably in, her legs crossed as she opened her latest book.

No matter how hard Noelle tried, she couldn't get interested the novels that Wizarding authors wrote. She hated the plot lines and to her, they all seemed the same. After two summers in Los Angeles, Noelle had decided to screw the Wizarding world books and had developed a passion for Muggle authors. She had gone on several day trip excursions with her neighbor, Seneca, to visit tiny private bookshops and find thousands of books. Seneca was a twenty-year-old woman who attended the Academy of Art during the school year. Seneca's birth name wasn't really Seneca; it was Jane. "I used to be a Plain Jane," Seneca would say as they baked tortilla chips in her kitchen. "Then I became Seneca."

"How?" Noelle had asked.

"I just did," Seneca said. "I wanted to."

"What about your family?"

Seneca had a sad smile when Noelle asked that. "They don't talk to me anymore." Noelle gave Seneca a hug and they drank tea and ate soft sugary bread. Noelle smiled remembering Seneca's face and her flower garden where they picked lilies and roses and gladioli and irises. Noelle hung the flowers upside down and took them back to her home in London and put them in vases so she'd have some of Seneca always.

Noelle's favorite author was Francesca Lia Block and Noelle had finally ended up meeting her this past summer. Noelle was amazed at how _normal_ Francesca seemed. Noelle had gushed over her and Francesca had smiled and thanked her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Elle had walked around in a daze for a week until Seneca snapped her out of it and they went to a punk show at a local club.

Now Noelle was reading _The Perks of Being a Wallflower_ and was loving it and falling into it, not even paying attention to the music by this point. She didn't even notice that a shadow had fallen over her. She glanced up and saw a tall Slytherin boy she knew to be named Clion Snape, a boy in her classes and Professor Snape's son. She pulled her headphones off, closed the book and stood up.

"Uh…hi," she said. He nodded. He was walking down the shelf, searching for a book. He ignored her as she sat back down, pulling her headphones on and opening her book. After a while, she felt his eyes on her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"No, thanks," he said, resuming his hunt. She found him a little awkward but liked that. He wasn't the stupid kind of Slytherin like Malfoy's cronies but he wasn't like stuck-up Malfoy either. For a long while, she felt that he was watching her until finally she was tired of looking up and seeing him look away quickly. She pulled off her headphones and, still holding her book and CD player, she walked over to him, practically bouncing.

 "I'm Noelle Granger." She held out her hand. He shook it.

"I'm Clion Snape," he said.

"Would you like to go out some time?" she asked suddenly, not aware of what she was asking but extremely aware at the same time.

"With you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Well…yeah," she said. "I wouldn't be asking you myself if I wanted you to go out with my friend or something." He laughed.

"Oh, right," he said. There was a silence.

"So?" she persisted.

"Sure," Clion said.

"Great!" Noelle said. "How about the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Do we really have any other chance to go out?" he asked.

"No, that's why I'm thinking about Hogsmeade," she said.

"Hogsmeade would be fine," he said. "When's the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"I have no idea," Noelle said happily. She liked the way he dressed. He was wearing worn khakis and a plain black t-shirt and old black boots. His hair was long-ish and black, like hers but hers was considerably longer.

"When you find out, talk to me about it," he said. "You're in all of my classes."

"That's pretty convenient," she said to him.

"Snape," said a very familiar and obnoxious voice. "You're around _books_?"

"Tristan," Clion said. "Do you know Noelle Granger?"

Malfoy smirked at Noelle. "No, I don't think we've met," Malfoy said, bowing formally.

"Shove it, Malfoy," Noelle said, then turned to Clion. "Um, so I'll talk to you later?"

"Absolutely," he said. She smiled, nodded and pushed past Malfoy.

"Granger," Malfoy yelled, "those things are illegal around Hogwarts campus."

"You should be, as well," Noelle called as she left the library. Malfoy turned to Clion.

"She'll talk to you _later?"_ Malfoy said. "What the hell was that about?"

"She asked me out," Clion said, laughing.

"What?" Malfoy was shocked. Clion expected this kind of reaction from Tristan. Tristan considered himself to be above other guys when girls were concerned. It was commonly known that out of nearly every other guy at school, Tristan Malfoy was the most lusted after. Tristan was also not a virgin and had taken the virginity of many girls in the school. Clion knew for a fact that Natalia Ceracione, Gabrielle Ashe and Ariel Zabini had "dated" Malfoy but had stopped when they discovered that he had been sleeping with other girls on the side.

Tristan Malfoy had no respect for women who wanted him; he respected women who didn't want him and that included Noelle Granger.

"Yep," Clion said.

"She asked _you_ out?" Tristan said as they walked out of the library, Clion still bookless.

"Malfoy, I'm not gay, no matter what people think," Clion said.

"But…she doesn't know about…" Malfoy was falling over with laughter now.

"I won't let her _kiss_ me," Clion said.

"And then she'll be pissed."

"But I can't kiss her."

"Too bad. She's quite hot."

"Then why don't you kiss her?"

They were silent until Malfoy said, "What if she bites off my tongue?"

 Author's Note: I enjoyed writing this chapter! Yayayayay! I love Clion's character and Noelle's response to him. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do! Review if you can!

Fae


	3. A Strange Predicament

**Chapter Three**

Noelle Granger was not enjoying her first week of school but she tolerated it because she was looking forward to a certain date.

James couldn't believe that she had actually plucked up enough courage to actually end up asking a boy out. "I wish that would happen to me…" James said wistfully.

"What, Elle asking you out?" Ian said as the three of them finished their homework in the Common Room.

"No, just any girl asking me out," James replied. "Half the girls in this damn school are scared of me."

"Because you awe just the cutest wittle boy!" she said in baby talk, putting the final touches on her Transfiguration paper. She threw her pen down and ripped the sheet of paper from her yellow notebook, laughing at them as they watched in astonishment.

"That's the third essay you've finished this hour!" Ian said. "Are you _sure_ you're not cheating?"

"Darling, you've been here watching me the whole time," she said. "I'm not cheating." She tucked the paper in her folder and opened her assignment book to cross off that bit of homework.

"Do our homework!" Ian complained. "We've got so bloody much and I'm tired of writing."

"_That_ is because you _insist_ upon using those extremely impractical quills and ink bottles," she said, closing all her books with a wave of her wand. "I would recommend pens. They are so much easier."

"Muggle tools," Ian scowled.

"Ian," Noelle said, standing up and watching her books pile themselves neatly in a stack, "Muggle's aren't savages and it won't make you a Muggle to use their tools. You use electricity here and that's a Muggle invention. You also wear Muggle clothes and use toothbrushes and toothpaste." She leaned close to him. "Using a pen won't kill you." Then she stood up and jabbed her wand at her books. She reached down and opened the flap of her bag. "Now, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen," she said as the books arranged themselves neatly into her bag, "I have a late Potions lesson to get to."

"Have fun with Snakey Pie," James said, teasing her.

"Ohh, yeah, tons," she said.

"Maybe you'll run into Clion on the way and he'll simply perk up your day," Ian said.

"Ian, you've already perked up my day with your _infectious_ happiness," she joked.

"You're funny!" Ian said as she waved at them, yanking open the portrait hole. "I don't even know why you _like_ that weirdo! He never smiles or talks! Are you sure you spoke with him?" But she long gone.

"If she had heard you, she would have thrown you out the North Tower window," James said.

"I know," Ian said. "That's why I waited until she left to really say anything."

"She's really into Snape," James said. "Which is strange. She not interested in _anyone_."

"Except Snape." Ian sighed and threw down his quill. "Maybe she's right."

"About what?"

"The pens."

Noelle reached the dungeon a little early to catch Clion before he headed up to his dormitory. Sure enough, he was sitting at a table and writing something on a sheet of parchment.

"Hello," she said, sitting across from him. He looked up and nodded. She had gotten used to his lack of facial expression but that made her like him even more. She had to prod him to talk to her but she liked that as well. She hated it when guys ranted on and on. "What're you working on?"

"A Transfiguration paper," he said. "The two-rolls one."

"Ah," she said, nodding. "I just finished mine."

"Supergirl, it's nice to know someone with a brain can finish their homework on time," Clion said. "I can't seem to finish mine."

"So what's the problem?" she said. "Running dry of ideas?"

"A little," he admitted.

"It's a practical paper," she said. "Just think about it."

"I can't seem to concentrate."

"So don't," she said. "Take a break. Drink something. A wonderful Replenishing Potion, for example, which is exactly what we're starting tonight."

"Interesting," Clion said. "So what's it do?"

"It replenishes your energy and your brain cells that you lose during the day," she said. "It's basically coffee but much much stronger. You can stay awake for _days_ if you drink more than recommended."

"Very cool," he replied.

"But I take it you already knew that," Noelle said, smiling.

He shrugged, nodding. "I finished it last year."

"I don't understand why Snape picked me and Malfoy," she said. "Why not you?"

"Blatant favoritism," Clion said.

"Ah. Now I see." She was quiet. "So tell me," she finally said, "is this

Replenishing Potion difficult?"

"For you," he said. "Nah. For regulars…maybe."

"Thanks," she said just as Professor Snape and Tristan Malfoy walked in.

Clion stood up. "Are you done with your homework?" Snape asked his son. Clion shrugged.

"Almost," he replied. "I can finish the rest later."

"Very well," Snape said. "Do you want to stay?"

Clion left, muttering goodbye to his father as he went. Snape nodded as Malfoy grinned at Noelle. Noelle gave him a look of disgust and began taking _Moste__ Potente Potions_ out of her bag. "You may begin," Snape said. "If you run into any problems, I'll be at my desk."

Noelle yanked her wand out of her bag and waved it in a graceful arc towards the book. It fell open on the page that they wanted. Quickly, Noelle and Tristan assembled the ingredients and took a quick look at the directions before starting.

"Three cups Mandrake Juice," she read aloud as Tristan threw the purplish liquid in the cauldron. "Let that simmer for three minutes."

"Good job, Granger," Malfoy said to her.

"For what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Everyone in the school thought you were same-sex orientated," Malfoy said. "I must say how proud the whole school is to see that you're finally taking an interest in the opposite sex."

"I don't care what the whole school thinks," she said, dropping lacewing flies into a bowl.

"Yes, you do," he hissed.

She looked up at him as he was standing about three feet away from her. "No, I don't," she said. The intensity in her eyes frightened him and he looked away uneasily.

After the Mandrake Juice had simmered for a while, they threw in another cup of diluted bobutuber pus and sprinkled in a teaspoon of powdered horn of bicorn. "Wait for thirty second before throwing in two lacewings," Malfoy read aloud from the book. "Two lacewings every thirty second after that."

"Constant stirring," she reminded him. He nodded. As he took the ladle, she dropped in lacewing flies in response to the directions, both of them working quietly.

"Then…shit," she muttered, jabbing her wand at the book again. A slight breeze had lost her page. The book flipped immediately back to the Replenishing Potion page. "Ummm…some _lion's brine?_" She didn't know what that was but Malfoy apparently did.

"Stand back," he warned, yanking the cork out of a bottle filled with a disgusting colored liquid. Noelle took three large steps back as Malfoy poured a quick shot of it in the cauldron and stepped back quickly. The cauldron nearly exploded. A mushroom cloud of smoke erupted from the surface of the potion, a bright coral color. It raged for another few seconds before falling back into the cauldron. Tristan looked across the cauldron at Noelle. She was laughing, pushing a disobedient lock of hair away from her face and staring at the cauldron.

"Was it supposed to do that?" she asked as they both stepped cautiously back to the cauldron.

"Yep," Malfoy said, looking at the book. "A cloud of coral steam should erupt."

"Now what?"

"Let it simmer for twenty minutes, then add in a dash of dragon's blood," Malfoy said.

"Alright." She gently eased herself on a table and watched as the tiny little bubbles surfaced themselves in the dangerously colored potion. The room was silent except for the shuffling of Professor Snape's papers and the sound of the bubbling potion.

"Granger?"

She was feeling suddenly sleepy and tired in the stuffy dungeon. The warmth closed around her like a womb and she wanted to curl up on the table and sleep for ages. "Hmmm?" she hummed, not really paying attention.

"How did Clion strike your fancy?" Malfoy asked.

"What?" she looked at Tristan. "What kind of a question is that?"

"A fair one, I would think," he replied.

"It's stupid," she said. "I don't know how."

"Why, then?"

"Why do care?"

"Just wondering."

"Please, like I'd _ever_ tell you," she replied. Then she shrugged. "I dunno. I'd never talked to him before. I just…asked him out."

"For fun?"

"A little," she admitted, not believing that she was having this conversation with Malfoy. "But mostly because he was so quiet."

"You didn't think he was gay?"

"I didn't care," she said. "It's not like I invited him to jump in bed with me." Malfoy chuckled and in that chuckle, Noelle got the sinister feeling that he knew something she didn't. She disliked the chuckled almost as much as she disliked him.

For the rest of the twenty minutes they were silent until Malfoy got up and threw in the dragon's blood and turned off the heat. The potion thickened immediately and Noelle nearly laughed. She had actually had a civil conversation with Tristan Malfoy. She knew James and Ian would scold her and so she didn't tell them as she headed back to bed and found them still in the Common Room, finishing off the last bit of their homework. They both looked tired and worn out.

"Here," she said, setting a bottle of Replenishing Potion on the table. "Drink this. It'll make you feel better."

Then she went to bed.

The days were passing steadily now. Noelle attended Quidditch practices religiously. The weather got steadily worse, but James had yet to cancel a practice. Noelle would often come in soaking wet and covered in mud. Silver and the other girls would click their tongues as she entered. Slowly, though, Noelle began noticing a change in her body. During the summer, her muscles had become soft and fatty but now they were tight and toned from the hours of exercises James made them do. She belted her pants, afraid they would fall off her body if she didn't wear a belt. Also she had missed a period because her body fat count was off. She told Megan who said she should be worried. "Meg," Noelle said, "a person who isn't having sex can't get pregnant." Megan nodded but still looked worried.

One evening, after a Quidditch practice, she found Clion leaning against a wall in the Entrance Hall and grinning.

"What are you smirking at?" she asked him, leaning against the wall next to him.

"Found out next Hogsmeade weekend," he said.

"Really?" she said, excited. "When?"

"This weekend."

"Yes!" She rested her broom against the wall and managed a smile. "So, where do you want to meet?"

"How about right here? At ten?" he suggested.

"Here?" she said. "Against the wall?"

"How about _by_ the wall?" he said.

"By the wall, okay," she said. "I'll be here."

"Elle," James was saying from the staircase, "c'mon."

"Bye, Clion," She said, hurrying up the stairs.

"Goodbye, Noelle," he said quietly to himself. She waved at him from the top of the stairs and headed up with James and Ian. When they reached the Common Room, Noelle was sagging.

"I'm taking a long hot shower and going to bed," she said. "Do _not_ disturb me." She went up and, ignoring the clucking noises coming from her roommates, she took a long hot shower; lathering soap up her legs and letting the razor skim off the suds. She scrubbed her skin clean and washed her hair leisurely. She dressed in sweats and a tank top with a black zip-up sweater over it. As she pulled socks on her shivering feet, she realized that she wasn't as sleepy, just tired.

She went down to the Common Room. It was nearly empty. Molly was in there, talking to a friend. She smiled at Noelle as Noelle stretched languorously on the sofa, wincing as her muscles protested. "Feeling better?" James's voice said above her. She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Much better, thank you," she said. "I thought I told you not to disturb me?" He took a seat in one of the winged chairs and shrugged.

"You weren't asleep."

"And how sure are you about that one, Boy Wonder?" she asked him, smirking.

"Pretty sure," he replied. "The fact that you woke up right when I asked you how you were feeling, etc." They were silent for a while. It was extremely comfortable sitting there in the front of the fire while a storm raged outside. Noelle's skin felt very warm and she started to feel sleepy. "Drowsy?"

"A little," she admitted. "I think I'll go to bed now." She got up, kissed his cheek, murmuring, "Good night."

"Good night, Elle," he said, getting up himself. She climbed the stairs and fell into her very comfortable bed, pulling the warm blankets up to her chin, burying her face in the pillow which smelled fresh and falling into a heavy sleep.

The next morning, she awoke at seven and smiled into her pillow, closing her eyes and trying to sleep again. Her hair smelled of shampoo and conditioner and she wanted to remain in bed for as long as she could. Her body was sore but the kind of sore that is very comfortable.

"Noelle," Hannah's voice floated in, "James is waiting for you downstairs and you'd better hurry or you'll be late for classes." Noelle sighed and got up.

"Aren't you going to shower, Princess?" Elisabeth asked as Noelle took some clothes out of her bureau.

"Don't call me 'Princess' and I showered last night after Quidditch," Noelle said, glaring at Elisabeth. Elisabeth glared back. Noelle quickly dressed in a green t-shirt and long black pants with athletic shoes.

"Uh, uniform?" Hannah said.

"I don't care," Noelle answered. "Half the school runs around without uniform and the school doesn't care as long as we wear our robes." She pulled her robes on, adjusting the collar and clasping the first three silver clasps. Then she shook her head and went into the bathroom to pee and brush her teeth. As she was peeing, she applied a minimal amount of makeup: a spot of foundation to cover up a pimple, mascara and lip gloss. Then she brushed her teeth and, grabbing her bag, went downstairs. James was waiting for her in a winged chair.

"Finally," he said. "I brought you breakfast since it seems that you have to get right to classes." He gave her a small paper plate with half a piece of toast, a piece of bacon and a quarter of an apple.

"Thanks, Jamie," she said as he held her juice box of cranberry juice as she ate ravenously, finishing the apple last. Then she slurped up her juice, wiped her hands on a napkin and jabbed her wand at the trash James held. It disappeared. "Instant recycling," she grinned.

"Nice," he said. "I'll see you at break. Where are you going?"

"Ancient Runes first," she said. "Then Arithmancy. I'll meet you and Ian in the courtyard." She looked around. "Where _is _Ian?"

"Got sick last night," James replied. "Food poisoning but he should be alright. You'll see him at break."

"Ah, poor baby," Noelle said. "Is he in the Hospital Wing?" James nodded. She checked her watch. "I'll go visit him, I still have fifteen minutes." She dashed down the stairs, bidding James farewell as she skidded down the corridor and into the Hospital.

"I'm visiting Ian," she told Madam Pomfrey as she walked down the aisle of beds until she found Ian. He was retching in a giant green pail. He didn't see her as she came in but she winced and gently patted his shoulder. He glanced up and smiled.

"You don't need to look at this, Elle," he said. "I stole your juice last night at dinner, remember? I think it's my bad karma."

"Nah, I'll bet it was the crab that you ate," Noelle said. "Crab always is more susceptible to disease than any other seafood."

"Not true," Ian said.

"Alright, fine, I'm a liar," she said. "Are you feeling better?" He wasn't vomiting anymore; she handed him a glass of water and he drank some. She put it back on the bedside table and put her hand on his head. "You're feverish," she said. "Hmmm."

"Miss Granger, classes are about to start and this time I cannot write you a pass so I suggest you hurry." Madam Pomfrey sounded irritated.

"What's wrong with him?" Noelle asked as she left.

"Food poisoning, dear," Madam Pomfrey said. "We're having everything tested now to see what was wrong. He'll be having tests himself to see what went wrong. There's never been a case like this at Hogwarts. The food's always been perfectly alright so what happened?"

Noelle cast a worried glance back at Ian and headed down the stairs to her Ancient Runes class. Professor Sharp was a tiny little man with a bald head and pointy ears. He was a maniacal sort of man and taught at very high speeds so the entire class had learned to adopt a shorthand way of taking notes. Today, however, Professor Sharp wasn't feeling well so he assigned reading and stayed at his desk the entire time.

"No homework," he called out weakly as the bell rang.

"Not up to par, is he?" Megan asked as they met up outside the classroom.

"He's ill, can't you tell?" Noelle said as they started up a set of stairs. "Just like Ian."

"Ian's ill?" Megan asked. Noelle grinned.

"Glad to see you're so concerned," she said, smiling deviously.

"I've always had a crush on him and you know it," Megan giggled.

"He's got a secret crush on you!" Noelle said. "He wants to _looove_ you."

"Yeah," Megan snorted. "A straight-laced person like Ian with a person like me? _Sure_."

"You're both decent and cute and smart," Noelle said. "That's really all that counts. And Ian's pretty out there himself. He has a _Save the Whales_ poster."

"Yeah, that's so out there," Megan said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Shush," Noelle said. Then she sighed. "I'm not in the mood for Arithmancy."

"Your mother would disown you if she heard those words come from the mouth of her offspring," Megan said.

"She won't find out, will she?" Noelle said, glaring at Megan.

"Of course not," Megan quailed under Noelle's glare.

"I'm just kidding, Meg," Noelle said, lightly punching Megan's arm. "C'mon, let's go."

Arithmancy was Noelle's favorite subject as she was quick with numbers. During her summers in LA, she had taken summer school in a regular high school where she had taken advanced math classes and aced them. The teacher, Mr. Hotep, had told her that she should attend school during the regular year. Noelle had replied, "I go to a school abroad during the year." She couldn't tell him she went to a Magic school. He wouldn't have believed her anyway. He would have called her mother and recommended that she take therapy.

Professor Vector was a brilliant teacher who, unlike Professor Sharp, taught slowly so that the students understood the material. Arithmancy was Noelle's only challenging class. She struggled with it which was why she enjoyed it. "Problem set number thirty one should be finished next time we're together," Professor Vector called as they left for break.

"Granger!" Noelle heard her name being called. She turned away from Megan to see Malfoy calling for her.

"I'll catch up with you later," Noelle told Megan, whose eyebrows were threatening to disappear in her hairline. Noelle stood, waiting for Malfoy to wade through the thick crowd of students.

"Granger," he breathed. "Snape says no lesson tonight because of Hogsmeade tomorrow. It's been rescheduled for Sunday night."

"I have to attend Quidditch tryouts Sunday night," she replied. "I can't be there."

"Discuss that with Professor Snape," Malfoy said, grinning maliciously. "However, it's not tonight."

"Yeah, I figured that out the first time you said it," she said.

"Never know with you half-breeds," Malfoy said, racing down the stairs.

"Asshole!" Noelle called down at him. He looked up and grinned. She blew her bangs out of her face and tucked them behind her ear with her fingers, then glanced at her watch. She had fifteen minutes of break. She sighed and set off towards the dungeons in search of Professor Severus Snape. She entered his office.

"Professor Snape?" she said timidly. He was sitting at his desk, as always, writing something.

"Miss Granger, come in," he said. "Can I help you?"

"Uh…sir," she said, approaching his desk, "did you reschedule my Potions lesson for Sunday night?"

"Yes, I did. Is there a problem?"

"Sir, I have to attend Quidditch tryouts with the rest of the Gryffindor team," she said. "I can't make it."

"Ah, the infinitely stupid sport everyone makes a big deal about," Snape said. "Tell me, Miss Granger, what is so useful about the sport of Quidditch?"

"Nothing useful," she said, anger building up inside her chest like a rising tide. "It's unique. It's really the only Wizarding sport next to Quodpot." He nodded, a disgusted look on his face.

"The rest of your team cannot attend without you in attendance?" he asked.

"Uh…they _could_ but we like to see how the new players react with the whole team there," she said. Snape looked at her critically, then shrugged.

"Then I suppose there is no lesson Sunday night," Snape said. "I'll make the Potion. Mr. Malfoy and yourself will partner up Monday morning and do the regular lesson."

Noelle felt happy. "Thank you, Professor." She made to leave but Snape stopped her.

"Do you see Mr. Malfoy anytime today?"

"Unfortunately."

"Let me write a note for him. Wait a moment." He got up and went into his office, closing the door behind him. Noelle stood quietly for a minute, then glanced at his desk. Something extremely curious caught her eye.

There was a sheet of parchment on Snape's desk that looked very much like a letter that Snape was writing. It began:

_Dear Hermione,_

_            I cannot begin to tell you…_

The rest was covered up. _Why is Snape writing to my mum?_ Noelle wondered. _What can't he begin to tell her? _She reached out with her right hand to move the offending parchment to read on but the office door opened and she yanked her hand back, fixing her eyes on Professor Snape.

"Here you are, Miss Granger," he said. He handed her a folded sheet of parchment marked: _Tristan Malfoy_. Noelle nodded, tucked the note in the front pocket of her bag and sped out of the dungeon.

As soon as she was out in the Entrance Hall, she slowed down, her mind racing. What was happening here? She couldn't understand exactly what was going on. Snape had been considerate of her. She had always felt that Snape treated her differently than he treated any other student: he was mean to her but when she was in need of his help, he always helped her. He wouldn't do that for James or Ian, or even Tristan. Why was he helping her? And why in the world was he writing a letter to her mother?

The bell rang and she swallowed, her throat very dry. She had to write to her mother but she didn't understand how she could say what she just saw. Noelle had always thought that Hermione would never lie to her but now she was having doubts. She could imagine the letter she would write:

_Dear Mum,_

_            Why is Snape writing letters to you?_

_                                    Love,_

_                                       Elle_

Even in her head it sounded stupidly suspicious. Besides, Hermione Granger wasn't the only Hermione in the world. Maybe there were others. Noelle knew that in the famous Disney movie _Mary Poppins_ there was an actress named Hermione. Hermione seemed to be an uncommon name but maybe it wasn't as uncommon as Noelle thought. Dazed and confused, she headed out towards the greenhouses for her Herbology lesson.

She found the class milling around in front of Greenhouse Five. She unbuckled the front pocket of her bag and pulled out the note. She found Malfoy talking to Clion and Aidan Hannigan.

"Here," she said. "It's from Professor Snape about the Potions lesson."

"I take it you've already read it," he said, taking the note and looking at her suspiciously.

"As if I don't have better things to do than to read your personal correspondences with teachers," she said. "Are you sure you aren't hiding something, Malfoy?" Tristan sneered put the note in his bag, a black contraption with only one compartment. Noelle looked at the bag in distaste and found Megan, who was upset about something.

"Ian's not well," she said abruptly as they waited for Professor Sprout to unlock the door and let them in. "There was some serious poison in the pumpkin juice he drank last night."

"What?" Noelle said, images of Ian's pale face flashing through her mind.

"Yeah, they tested his vomit," Megan said. Noelle shuddered. "As disgusting as that sounds, the only thing that was poisoned was the pumpkin juice."

"He drank _my_ pumpkin juice," Noelle said. "I don't understand…is he going to be alright?"

"He's extremely dehydrated," Megan told her. "He'll need an IV, which is guess is—"

"I know what an IV is," Noelle interrupted. "Megan, he drank _my_ pumpkin juice; he told me this morning when I went to go visit him."

"What does that mean?"

"Someone was trying to poison _me!_"

Author's Note: Ooooh, suspenseful! To be continued…

Fae


	4. Public Enemy Number One

**Chapter Four**

"Poison _you?"_ James said incredulously. "C'mon, Elle, get real."

"You heard Madam Pomfrey!" Noelle indignantly stated. "She said it wasn't just regular old food poisoning; it wasn't like fungus or anything. It was a man-made poison that someone must have put in there."

"How would this so-called food poisoner know where you were sitting?" James asked.

"It couldn't have been someone out of the school," Noelle said softly. "It had to be someone who knew where I sit every mealtime. We always sit in the same seat, you and Ian next to each other and me across from you."

"I think you're being paranoid," James said. "It's silly to think that anyone would want to poison you. What would be their motive?"

"I don't know, that's why I ran the theory past you!" Noelle hissed angrily. "Why would I suddenly become Public Enemy Number One? Why would someone feel the need to disable me?"

"Maybe they were in Slytherin and knew about your unbeatable Chaser skills and so they decided to stop you."

"Shut up, that's so stupid," Noelle said. "Quidditch season doesn't start until mid-November. It's not even Halloween yet, James."

"So what you're saying is that someone inside this school who attends mealtimes regularly tried to poison you but got Ian instead?"

"Exactly."

James stared at her as she sat across from him. It was nearly ten at night but they were both awake, the only two in the Common Room. Both still hadn't changed out of their regular clothes into their pajamas. Right after classes had ended, both of them had gone to visit Ian in the Hospital Wing. He had been asleep but had woken up later and they made some talk. Ian asked James to bring him all his work so he wouldn't have to work extra hard to make things up. He had been told about the poisoning and his parents had been informed. Dumbledore had asked them to come the next morning when students were at classes so they wouldn't cause a commotion and start a hunger strike at Hogwarts.

The kitchens were being searched as well. The house elves were being questioned about suspicious characters in the kitchen.

Ian had been feverish and clammy when they had visited him. His bright red hair contrasted fiercely with his pale skin. His freckled stood out and his blue eyes were glazed over as he tried to make conversation. As James and Noelle had left the Hospital Wing, they had seen Madam Pomfrey wheeling out an IV.

"Having to resort to Muggle medicine," she was muttering angrily. James and Noelle exchanged a surprised look before they left.

"Jamie," Noelle said, "this isn't just some accident. Someone went out of their way to poison me and now Ian's in the Hospital Wing on an IV!" She stood up, pacing, then flopped down on the sofa. "James…I'm scared for Ian."

"Me too, Elle," he said, sitting next to her. They were quite, staring into the empty fireplace. James stroked her hair lightly. Ever since Noelle was little, whenever someone touched her hair gently it made her become warm and sleepy. Her head was heavy feeling and she slumped against James, closing her eyes and burrowing herself deeper into his side. He smelled of clean laundry and a hint of comforting sweat. Slowly, her cheek resting against his chest, she fell into a light sleep where she was aware of her surroundings but if someone were to call her name, she wouldn't have answered.

His cotton shirt was soft against her face and she relaxed into him.

James was awake, continually stroking her hair and smelling her scent: a mixture of flora and something else—something clean. Her hair was soft and smooth in his fingers. He felt her body go limp and she was comfortable against him. James had known Noelle since they were in diapers, practically. They had been born on the same day, although in different countries. Noelle was a few hours older than James, however. James was born at L'adore Maison, the name Ginny Weasley has given to their house; French for Love House. Ginny was known to walk around the house at night, creeping into her children's bedrooms and whispering, "Je t'aime. I love you." She would kiss them goodnight and leave, knowing they were awake but pretending to be asleep. L'adore Maison was in England, a large sprawling house in Cornwall.

Noelle had been born in Los Angeles at a hospital, then taken home to Veritas House. Hermione called it that because she never lied to her daughter and she never intended to. In that house nothing was held back but whenever James visited, he always felt that Hermione was under a great weight of a great lie. He didn't discuss this with Noelle or Ian, preferring to keep it to himself. He didn't want to accuse Noelle's mother of lying to anyone since their house was, after all, Latin for truth.

Noelle nuzzled deeper into James and her light animal breathing calmed him. Her theory had frightened him because it seemed to be the thing that everyone was thinking. He had been denying it to keep himself from worrying. What if she was right and someone had been trying to poison her? Now their best friend and James's cousin was in the hospital because of a goblet of pumpkin juice. James looked down at Noelle.

Who in the world would want to hurt her?

In the morning, Noelle found herself in her own bed. She remembered last night, how she had fallen asleep on James. How had she ended up here?

"James had me bring you up when I went down to get more water," Silver said. "I floated you up." Noelle obviously hadn't hidden her confusion well enough.

"Thanks, Silver," she said.

"No problem," Silver said. "Do you know how hard that would have been if we were Muggles?"

"If we were Muggles, James would have simply carried me up here," Noelle said, getting up and glancing at the clock. It was nine fifteen. She hadn't forgotten her date with Clion. She took a very hurried shower and dried her hair with magic, then dressed in a white tank top with a cream-colored net sweater over it and a knee-length grey skirt. She wore tiny black Mary Janes on her feet and stared at herself critically in the mirror.

"Going on a date?" Amy teased. Elisabeth stopped brushing her hair to look at Noelle.

"No!" she said. Noelle nodded, grinning slightly as she applied another dot of foundation to cover up her zit which had gotten smaller since yesterday. "Really?" Elisabeth smiled, nodding. "We all thought you were a lesbian!"

"I'm not a lesbian," Noelle said, pulling her hair back to see how that looked. She frowned and then shook it back where it was loose.

"Obviously," Elisabeth said.

"Who is he?" Silver asked.

"Clion Snape," Noelle replied quickly.

"_What?_" the four other girls said simultaneously.

"He doesn't talk!" Hannah hissed.

"He does too," Noelle replied. "You just need to prod him a bit." She checked herself over one last time and then left, saying, "See you later."

She didn't find James in the Common Room so she assumed he was in the Hospital Wing. She checked her watch. With ten minutes left until ten o'clock, Noelle went to the Hospital Wing. James wasn't there. She visited for a little while with Ian, then his parents arrived.

"Thank you, Noelle," Lavender said, hugging Noelle. "Thank you for keeping him company." Ron hugged Noelle as well but didn't say anything.

"I'll bring you something from Hogsmeade," Noelle said as she left. "Bye, Ian."

Ian lifted his hand in farewell as she left.

Clion was in the Entrance Hall, leaning against the wall and looking as slick as ever. He was wearing a white t-shirt with: IVY emblazoned on it in red lettering and faded blue jeans, vintage-looking sneakers on his feet. He brightened considerably when he saw her coming down the stairs. "Hello," he said first which surprised her. She was normally the first one to talk.

"Hi," she replied. "Ready to go?" He nodded and they set off across the grounds. It was a brilliant day with a crisp breeze but not enough to chill anyone.

"Nice weather," Clion commented. She nodded, wondering if he was trying to be charming. She decided she liked him when he talked as well. "How's your friend?" This took her aback even more than his odd behavior.

"How do you know about Ian?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? Everyone knows about Ian," Clion said. "Is he any better?"

"I'm not sure," she said. "I visited him right before I came down here; we didn't discuss his condition." They flashed their school IDs at Filch, who crossed off their names on the list. Slowly, they headed down the road towards Hogsmeade. "It's a bit scary," she confided. "I'm scared for him."

"Scared for him? Why? He's a big boy; he can take care of himself," Clion said.

"Apparently, he can't," Noelle said, slightly angry. "I mean, he got sick, didn't he? And now's he's in this terrible condition where he can't eat anything and he's on Muggle medication."

"Muggle medication?" Clion was confused.

"They put him on an IV," she said. He looked even more confused. She was frustrated at how ignorant Wizarding people could be. "It's a thing that they stick in your veins to keep you from getting too dehydrated."

"Ah, I see," he said. "Muggle medication means bad news."

"Not necessarily," she said. She couldn't believe that on her first date with this guy she was talking about such a depressing subject. She fell silent.

"You don't want to talk about this, do you?" he said.

"No," she said. "Would you like a drink or something?" She indicated towards the Three Broomsticks that they were passing on the road.

"Actually, I need to send an owl," he said. "Long-distance, you know. I can't use one of the school owls for that." She nodded and they went to the post office where Clion selected a large grey owl to send his letter. When he was done, he said to her, "Did _you_ want a drink?"

She laughed. "Not at all." They continued walking, entering Zonko's Joke Shop. Noelle always felt a bit like a traitor whenever she set foot in here; there was now a Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes right down the road. Fred and George Weasley had franchises all over the world now and Noelle appreciated that. They went into Honeydukes and Noelle bought chocolate for Ian. As the cashier wrapped up her chocolate, she felt Clion's warm breath on her neck and shivered, goosebumps sprouting along the length of her spine.

Then they went into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and she and Clion had fun looking at all the merchandise. She bought a few things for Ian and then her and Clion wandered around Hogsmeade until it was three o'clock. Clion looked at his watch for a long while, Noelle watching him, puzzled.

"I think we should be heading back," he said.

"Sure," she said. They walked back up the lane. Noelle then realized that she hadn't seen James all day today. She wondered where he was but didn't press the matter in her mind. He probably met up with a girl and went to Hogsmeade with her.

Filch checked Noelle and Clion back in and they went into the Entrance Hall together. There was an awkward silence.

"I had a nice time," Noelle finally said. "I had fun today."

"Likewise," Clion said. That was all he would say.

"Well, I'll see you around," Noelle said. "I have to get all these things to Ian." She gestured towards her shopping.

"Right," Clion said. "Later." They separated and Noelle headed up to the Hospital Wing. She found James sitting in a puffy chair by Ian's bed. Ron and Lavender were nowhere to be seen. Ian was talking to James when Noelle came in.

"Hi," Noelle said, setting her packages at the end of Ian's bed. She looked at James. "Where have you been today?"

"I was with Ian and his parents all day," James said, a slight accusing tone in his voice. Noelle thought it was unfair of him to blame her for not staying when he knew she had a meeting with Clion.

"What's wrong with you?" Noelle said, taking a seat.

"Why didn't you stay here?" James said, nearly snarling.

"James, shut up," Ian said. "Elle had a date today, remember?"

"With a _Slytherin,_" James said. "Fraternizing with the enemy, are we?"

"The _enemy_?" Noelle said sharply. "Whose enemy? Mine or yours?"

"Both," James said. "He probably felt you up and you let him."

"James!" Ian exclaimed. "Shut the hell up, man? What are you saying?"

Noelle looked coldly at James. "Yes, James, what exactly _are_ you saying? That I'm a slut?"

James blushed but kept his mean demeanor up for show. "How would you rather spend time with _him_ than with Ian, your sick friend?" Ian was incredulous by this point.

"James, you bastard, shut up," Ian said. The packages lay unwrapped at the foot of the bed.

"I had a date already planned," Noelle said. "I brought Ian back something and I visited him this morning. I think that counts for something."

"Yeah, a five minute visit counts for something really special," James snarled.

"Enough!" said a voice. All three teenagers looked up. Harry Potter and Ron were standing there. Ron had permanent worry lines but Harry looked incredibly angry.

"James, were you saying something to Noelle?" Harry directed toward his son.

"No, nothing," James muttered.

"Implying that someone is a slut is not _nothing__,"_ Harry said. "Are you aware of what you said?"

"No, Harry, don't bother," Noelle said. "I'm out of here." She made to leave but Harry grabbed her arm. She looked up at him questioningly and he smiled gently down at her.

"You've become taller," he said. She shrugged.

"Just a little," she replied.

He gave her a hug, whispering, "He didn't mean it, you know." She nodded, threw a nasty glance at James and stormed out of the Hospital Wing. She half expected James to follow her, to apologize for everything he'd said but he didn't and she didn't really want him to. James was proud and apologizing to her would break his pride. Noelle blew her bangs away from her face. She had nowhere to go. She wondered where Megan was but didn't have the faintest idea where she could find the Ravenclaw best-friend and spill to her about everything James had said.

So quickly she ran up to her dormitory, emptied her bag of all her books and threw in her new book project _Echo_ by Francesca Lia Block. Along with that she pitched in her CD player with the mix CD Seneca had made her called _Counting Stars_, a notebook and her pencil bag. At the last minute, she tucked her wand into one of the front pockets. She fastened the bag and headed to the library where she knew she'd find security.

Seated in her usual corner, she took out her notebook and a pen and began to write. One page filled up quickly so she turned it over and started on the other side. That page filled up as well and slowly but surely she wrote nearly ten pages until she was aware that someone was watching her. She glanced up and saw Tristan Malfoy standing at the fiction shelf, staring at her.

"Are you stalking me?" she said sharply.

"One would think so," he replied, "but no, Granger, I'm not stalking you."

"Then why do you always end up where I seem to be?"

"Ever think that maybe you might subconsciously be stalking me?" he suggested.

"Ever think that maybe you subconsciously_ want_ me to stalk you?" she said. He grinned and she felt a wave of revulsion rise up inside her chest. "Ugh. You're sick." She started to get up but he stopped her.

"No, Granger, do whatever you were doing," he said. "Don't let me stop you."

"I'm not," she said. "I'm going somewhere where _you_ aren't."

"Always so cold to me, Granger," he said. "Always so mean."

"And yourself?" she sneered. "Mr. Ice King, kiss my ass."

"Why do you hate me, Granger?" he said to her, stepping closer. She felt angry.

"Why do _you_ hate _me_, Malfoy?" she asked.

"I asked the question first," he said.

"Does that matter?" They both sighed in defeat. Noelle knew she could never answer that question because if she did, it would make her sound like a prejudice asshole. She only hated Malfoy because that was what she _taught_ to do. Her mother hadn't like Draco Malfoy when they were in school together and that carried on into Noelle. She carried the Malfoy prejudice like a torch lighted inside her. She didn't hate him because he was rich or a Pureblood or even a womanizing jerk (okay, maybe she hated him a little for that); she hated him because he was a Malfoy. She hated him because he called her a "half-breed" and made her angry; she hated being angry. It was like having a drink with her; she could get drunk on anger and lash out at anyone, like she had at James and Ian a few weeks ago. Like James had lashed out at her today.

Malfoy, in fact, didn't hate Noelle Granger by any means. His rebellious attitude towards his father would have required him to be friendly towards Granger and her two dim-witted Gryffindor morons and, of course, the Ravenclaw punk girl. Tristan Malfoy was intimidated by Noelle Granger. Noelle was smart, athletic and gorgeous, he admitted that. She had an acid tongue that had left several people speechless when she spoke to them. She was lusted after although she didn't know it. Noelle had friends that cared about her whereas Tristan's friends were just mere acquaintances. His only real friend—and not even friend at that, more like confidant—was Clion Snape and Noelle was interested in him.

Clion never talked about his relationship with Tristan, although the thought of them dating amused him. Noelle didn't know about it and Clion wanted to keep it that way.

"God, every time we talk to each other, it always ends up becoming another battle," she said, threw her things in her bag and got up to leave but he couldn't let her leave. He leaped and fastened his hands around her wrists.

"Let go!" Noelle demanded. "Let go of me, Malfoy!"

"Answer the question, Granger," he softly to her. She nearly spat at him but thought better of it. What if he hit her? She acted tough but if any man hit her, she knew she'd break.

"No," she said. "I want to leave now."

"You want to answer it, don't you?"

"All I want is for you to release me," she said in a fierce whisper, staring up at him, her eyes brimming with loathing. He leaned in closer to her, his lips brushing her earlobe. She felt a shiver run down her spine. She couldn't believe it. How could her body betray her like this?!

"Noelle," he whispered into her ear, his warm breath sweeping against her earlobe and neck like a soft zephyr, "answer the question."

"I…" She nearly choked talking. "…can't."

"Don't deny yourself what you want to do," he whispered.

"I'm not," she replied, trying to put an edge to her voice but it wouldn't come. Where was her voice? She was furious at herself but that anger was deep inside her. She couldn't feel anything at the moment.

"Really?" he said, releasing her wrists. She didn't move. His eyes were boring into her. She couldn't hold her anger any more. It slipped away, trickling from her hands like water.

He bent his head and gently brushed her lips with his. She closed her eyes, all senses leaving her. He teased her gently before he put his mouth full on hers and deepened the kiss. His tongue taunted her mouth open and he entered her mouth without delay, her own tongue battling him. He felt like he was drinking her in, a perfect wine that he had wanted to taste as a child but had only gotten the chance to now. It was a good wine. His hands lifted her up from her waist to gain better access of her mouth.

Her nerves were screaming. She grabbed his shoulders to balance herself, then wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her body into his. He felt her moan in his mouth and longed to continue the kiss but they both needed to breathe. He pulled away from her and set her down. Her eyes opened and they conveyed two feelings: disbelief and betrayal.

"Shit, Granger, I'm sorry," he said. But he wasn't as he walked away, leaving behind a very confused seventeen-year-old girl.

Noelle walked back to her dorm in a daze. She couldn't even think about anything else but what had happened in the library.

_I made out with Tristan Malfoy!_ She screamed at herself. _Oh my God, I just _kissed_ the Ferret's offspring! Oh my God!_

She fell into bed and closed her eyes, letting out a breath of frustration. Her thoughts were whirling and she was still worried about Ian but she was even more worried about her feelings toward Tristan. She _thought_ she hated him but with the recent events that had come up made her extremely confused. Hadn't she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back instead of pushing him away? She felt betrayed by herself. She rolled over, nearly crushing her bag underneath her. She sat up and emptied everything out of her bag and put all her school things back in it. She had homework to do but she didn't want to do it. Nonetheless, to keep her mind away from _certain_ things, she finished her Arithmancy homework and started on her Potions essay before Silver and Amy came in and started chattering.

Noelle slammed her book shut and went down to the Common Room. James wasn't there, thank God. She was afraid that if she saw him, she might hit him. Last night when she had fallen asleep on him suddenly seemed very far away. She sighed and flopped down in a chair.

"Are you alright, Elle?" Molly's voice said. Noelle turned to see Molly sitting at a table, a book open in front of her and parchment spread out all over the table.

"Ugh, just tired," she said.

"Where's James?"

"Don't talk to be about him," Noelle said.

"Oh no."

"Your brother said some horrible things to me today," Noelle said.

"Dick." They both laughed and Noelle moved to the table, sitting across from Molly.

"What exactly are you doing?" Noelle asked, eyeing all the parchment.

"Trying to compose a letter to Mum," Molly said. "It's harder than you might think."

"Aye," Noelle said, nodding. "Interesting."

"Do you ever find it difficult to write to your mum?"

Noelle shrugged. "Sometimes," she said. "If I'm doing something I'm not supposed to be doing, I have to make sure that I don't mention it."

"Isn't that lying?" Molly said, her green eyes wide.

"She doesn't ask about it," Noelle answered. "If she asked about it, I'd tell her. But I don't tell her every detail of my life here."

"I see." Eyeing the parchment, Noelle suddenly remembered something. Snape's letter to _someone_ named Hermione.

"Hey, Molly, can I use one sheet of parchment?" Noelle asked. "I think I'll write to my mum as well." Molly nodded, gesturing at the parchment. Noelle took a clean sheet, pulled a quill towards her, dipped it in the ink and began to write

_Mum,_

_            How are you? I hope things are okay in Veritas House. How's the book coming along? You haven't written in a while so I thought I'd write to you. Delicious needs a job, anyway._

_            It's becoming winter here. I'm imagining you wearing sunglasses every time you leave the house and going to the beach to write. I'll bet the water's cold but you see surfers there anyway. Can you still hear the dolphins? How is Seneca and her boyfriend? Well, I hope._

_            Ian got food poisoning and he isn't doing so well. Ron, Lavender and Harry are here to keep an eye on him. I fought with James today because I had a date with this amazing guy named Clion and he's a Slytherin and Professor Snape's son. Apparently, James thinks I'm _fraternizing_ with the enemy, which is so stupid. There is no enemy._

_            Speaking of Snape…when I was in his classroom today, I saw a letter that began with: "Dear Hermione…" which was strange. Why is Snape sending you mail?_

_            I'm good here. Have fun in __L.A.__ and send me some pictures._

_                                                Love,_

_                                                Elle_

Noelle read over that, then folded it over and thanked Molly for the parchment and quill. Molly was writing furiously and didn't hear Noelle.

Noelle stood up and left the Common Room, heading for the Owlery. She climbed the winding staircase and entered. It was nearly nine o'clock but Delicious was still asleep. "Delicious," Noelle said gently. The owl was awake instantly, fluttering down to a lower perch. "Hey Delish," Noelle said, stroking him. He nipped her affectionately. She quickly took the letter and tied it to the owl's leg.

"Take this to Mum, alright?" she said. "She's at Veritas House." Delicious landed on her shoulder, gave her a reassuring squeeze with his talons and swooped out the window. She watched him go, then went back down the stairs. She went into the Common Room where James was sitting with Molly.

"Oh. It's you."

"You sound disappointed," James said.

"Believe me, I am," she said, mounting the first step to her dormitory.

"You talk like that with Malfoy, not me," James said, sounding sad.

"You behaved exactly like Malfoy today," Noelle replied. _Although you didn't kiss me like a god._

"And how was that?"

"You were volatile and mean," she said. "I don't want to speak with you right now, James."

"Elle—"

"No way." She ran up the rest of the stairs and found her roommates playing cards down on the floor in front of the empty grate. She sighed and sat in her bed until Silver's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Do you want to play, Noelle?" Silver asked. Noelle stood up, studying them. Then she smiled.

"Sure."

Author's Note: I thought it was about time that Tristan and Noelle finally DO something rather than exchange insults. So I made them kiss and it's all cool. Now Noelle's confused about a lot of things. James is finally mean, thank goodness for that. This chapter kind of strayed away from the suspense at the end of three but I promise the next chapter will shed more light on that.

Fae


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